Endoscope Oxygen Saturation Reliability Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The accuracy of oxygen saturation calculation in endoscope systems decreases due to factors like halation, dark parts, light amount distribution, and movement between the subject and the endoscope, leading to unreliable oxygen saturation images.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope system that adjusts the information amount of oxygen saturation based on its accuracy by using a reliability calculating unit to assess the signal ratio and pixel values from multiple frame images captured at different wavelengths, ensuring accurate oxygen saturation calculation even during subject movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple frame images are used to calculate oxygen saturation, then measurement precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to subject movement between frames
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by calculating reliability values before performing the oxygen saturation calculation. The system evaluates the signal ratio between two wavelength ranges and determines reliability metrics (first reliability from signal ratio, second reliability from pixel value ranges) in advance. This preliminary reliability assessment allows the system to identify and exclude low-reliability pixel regions before the actual oxygen saturation calculation, ensuring that only high-reliability data is used, thus maintaining both measurement precision and reliability even when subject movement occurs between frames.
2Measurement precision
If pixel values from different wavelength ranges are used, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the image processing into distinct functional segments: (1) acquiring pixel values in first and second wavelength ranges, (2) calculating signal ratio between the ranges, (3) determining first reliability from signal ratio, (4) determining second reliability from pixel value ranges, (5) calculating third reliability from both first and second reliability values, and (6) performing oxygen saturation calculation using high-reliability pixels. This segmented approach organizes the complex multi-wavelength processing into manageable, sequential steps, making the system more tractable while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by treating different pixel regions differently based on their reliability characteristics. Instead of uniformly processing all pixels, the system calculates reliability values for each pixel or region and selectively applies oxygen saturation calculation only to regions with high reliability (above predetermined thresholds). This localized processing approach maintains measurement precision by using only quality data while reducing overall processing complexity by excluding low-reliability regions from further calculation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively adjusts the information amount of oxygen saturation images according to their accuracy, maintaining high visibility and reliability, even when the subject moves relative to the endoscope, by using a reliability calculating unit to assess signal ratios and pixel values from multiple frame images.
Implementation Method 1
a light source device that emits first illumination light with a first center wavelength and second illumination light with a second center wavelength
Implementation Method 2
an image acquiring unit that acquires a first frame image obtained by photographing a photographic subject and a second frame image obtained by photographing the photographic subject at a timing different from that of the first frame image; an oxygen saturation calculating unit that calculates an oxygen saturation by using the first frame image and the second frame image
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope system includes: an image acquiring unit that acquires a first frame image obtained by photographing a photographic subject and a second frame image obtained by photographing the photographic subject at a timing different from that of the first frame image; an oxygen saturation calculating unit that calculates an oxygen saturation by using the first frame image and the second frame image; a reliability calculating unit that calculates reliability of the oxygen saturation, calculated by the oxygen calculating unit, by using a signal ratio that is a ratio between a pixel value in a first specific wavelength range corresponding to a specific wavelength range of the first frame image and a pixel value in a second specific wavelength range corresponding to the specific wavelength range of the second frame image; and an information amount adjusting unit that adjusts an information amount of the oxygen saturation by using the reliability.